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HERSHE Y ARTFEST Hershey Artfest returns on Saturday, May 11, 2024 at The Englewood Barn. The 19th Annual Hershey Artfest hosted by the Hershey History Center features a selection of artists, food, and music. Celebrate Mother's Day weekend at this is a lovely start to the spring art festival season. Everyone is welcome. Bring mom, bring the kids, bring the neighbors! The Hershey Artfest has something for you and everyone! Whether you're from Hershey, the Capital Region, or just visiting.... join us for this wonderful day of family, friends, music, community, and art. ​ This fine art and artisan show will host almost 100 juried and non-juried exhibitors, and will include food vendors and multiple entertainment events. Artfest Program. (Link coming soon.) ​ Date: Saturday, May 11, 2024. 9am to 4pm. ​ Location: The Englewood Barn, 1219 W. End Ave, Hershey, PA 17036. The Hershey Artfest will be easy access to and from Rt. 422, and 322, and all points coming into Hershey. This new "Hershey's West End" is slated to be developed in the upcoming years with new homes, retail, and restaurants. ​ Parking: At the Research Center Lot. Over 2,000 spaces will be available for guests and artists. Disabled parking is also available onsite. Entry: FREE to the general public. ​ Looking for sponsorship opportunities? Download the Sponsor Prospectus. ​ For general questions about Artfest: Please send an email to artfest@hersheyhistory.org or call (717) 520-0748. ​ Vendor registration closed April 1, 2024. ART VENDOR GALLERY Advance the slideshow at the arrow. Click an image for full screen and to view the artist's name. LIVE MUSIC PERFORMERS Roy LeFever Duo Roy LeFever and John Christopher will perform: 10am to 12:30pm Quiet Soul Duo Robin McClellan and Beth Trez will perform: 1pm to 3:30pm Shelba Purtle Shelba plays hand pans throughout the day. Enjoy this wonderful music! Interested in volunteering? Volunteers needed for Hershey Artfest, May 11 . We need your help to make Artfest a success! There are different jobs and shifts throughout the day. No experience necessary. Plus plenty of opportunity to browse the art, listen to music and sample the food. It's a great day out and a fun event for volunteers. If you're not sure what position to fill, our biggest need is Saturday morning. CLICK HERE TO VOLUNTEER. VOLUNTEER HERSHEY ARTFEST SPONSORS PREMIER SPONSOR PLEIN AIR SPONSOR LIMITED EDITION SPONSORS

ABOUT US Since 1991, the History Center has committed to the mission to preserve, promote, and interpret our community's heritage. ​ Thanks to the contributions of local residents, businesses, and organizations, our ever-growing collection is a unique blend of artifacts, oral histories, and archival resources. Our Board of Directors, volunteers, and staff ensure the continuity of the mission and collections for generations to come. The History Center's museum provides authentic visual and interpretive exhibits, complemented by our archive and library resources which provide access to records and documents for research and education. Preservation programming enables community involvement by recognizing significant buildings, landmarks, and events in our shared history. The Hershey History Center is a 501c3 non-profit organization that is supported by membership and the generous donations of individuals, area businesses, and grants. ​ Visit our donation page to make a contribution to help protect and preserve our unique history. MISSION STATEMENT The mission of the Hershey History Center is dedicated to preserve, promote, and interpret the history of Derry Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. BOARD OF DIRECTORS Hershey History Center has a volunteer Board of Directors who provide direction and support to the Executive Director and participate in articulating the HHC mission to our community and supporters. LOU VERDEL LI, JR. PRESIDENT VICKI CALOIERO VICE PRESIDENT LISA MALOY SECRETARY BOB WATKINS TREASURER Directors Frank Battista Ray Brace John DeFrank Ted Herman John Martin Susan Mittan Louis Paioletti Marianne Purdy Bob Watkins ​ Ex-Officio Nicole Soliday, Executive Director ​ Emeritus Members Joanne Curry Neil Fasnacht Kathleen Lewis ​ OUR HISTORY Our location on Northeast Drive has a fascinating 200 year story in itself. Take a look at the interesting history of our building and our organization over the years. Read More

Acerca de TOURS Travel with the Hershey History Center Throughout the year, the Hershey History Center offers guided tours to international destinations. Please note that day trips are in EVENTS . ​ Visit Cuba. April 1 to April 10, 2025. (STILL AVAILABLE.)

PERSONAL & FAMILY MEMBERSHIP JOIN! BUSINESS MEMBERSHIP Donate & Support As a member supported organization, your generosity sustains the mission and programs of the Hershey History Center. ​ Consider making an additional gift of support today by following the link below. Donate

RALPH FIORE A Hershey Detective in the Early 1900s. Second Installment Marc Del Priore first contacted us in August of 2023, looking for information about his great grandfather, Ralph Fiore, who allegedly served as a police officer during the early days of the Hershey community. Marc visited HHC, launching early research efforts that proved fruitful and lead to a plethora of news articles chronicling the feats of his great grandfather between the years of 1915 and 1922. Early law enforcement efforts were vaguely familiar to us, but we had no idea of the scope of the success that this one individual attained. Marc provided census records and other documentary materials to substantiate his great grandfather's life in Hershey. Added to that material, Ralph's heroics are well documented in the news throughout his years in Hershey. ​ Ralph's successful policing is first referenced in the Lebanon Daily News edition of December 3, 1915. Many successful exploits follow. Next installment, hear Marc's story of his great grandfather.

FROM HOUSE CALL TO PHONE CALL To begin the virtual audio tour for this exhibit, please click the Play button. From House Call to Phone Call 00:00 / 01:30

A HISTORY OF HERSHEY ESTATES A unique town exploded onto the rural landscape of central Pennsylvania in 1903, brought into existence from the visionary mind of Milton S. Hershey and his establishment of what would become the world's largest chocolate factory. A Town is Born The multiple entities Hershey established provided all things needed for a thriving community: jobs, places to live, commodities and supplies, utilities and services, education, cultural and recreational opportunities. Due to Milton Hershey's interest in the health and welfare of his townspeople, Hershey, Pennsylvania was like no other "company town." Everything a growing, thriving town needed, he provided... ​ a beautiful recreational park, large convention hall, dance pavilion, and swimming pool a bank and a department store a hospital and a first-of-its-kind consolidated school …to name just a few of the town's early amenities. Later, during one of our country's most depressed decades, he would subsidize the building of a world-class hotel, a community building with a magnificent theatre, a high school for his Hershey Industrial School orphans, a state-of-the-art chocolate factory office, an innovative sports arena, and a big-city stadium. “I am trying to build here a place where people can be happy and contented while they work and live." ​ Success Magazine article 1927 Milton S. Hershey Hershey From the beginning, the town nurtured a multi-faceted experience for its residents – and continues to draw visitors to take in its many offerings. Milton S. Hershey "I am carrying out the terms of my own will while I am still living… If I should pass tomorrow everything would go on just as it is going on now… After all, what good is one's money unless one uses it for the good of the community and humanity in general?" ​ ​ A Town Grows and Thrives The industrialists who spawned America's infrastructure and commerce were nothing without their labor force. Some were paternalistic, creating communities that supported their employees to induce greater returns, some focused solely on their own capital gain. MS Hershey was not only paternalistic, but he was also focused on the people as much as on his product. He was unquestionably dedicated to ensuring his workers had first class amenities, guaranteeing certain rights for their benefit, and devising opportunities in which to spend their free time with their families. For manufacturing employees in some other places and other industries, a day off was not a guarantee, wages were much less than fair, standard housing was never a promise, and scrip was issued in place of cash — requiring workers to use company businesses. Lowell, Massachusetts, considered the first industrial company town in America, required female employees to attend church and wakened them to a daily factory bell in their dorm. In Pullman, Illinois, where railroad cars were the commodity, residents were not allowed to own their homes and even the books for the library were monitored. George Pullman responded to an economic depression by lowering wages but not rents or other costs, ultimately leading to one of the largest strikes in labor history, resulting in the creation of Labor Day. Unlike other manufacturing towns, created only to sustain production, Hershey looked and smelled like a sweet utopia. It rang out with the sounds of cheering crowds and Broadway shows, and hosted Henry Picard and Ben Hogan as golf pros. It produced or provided most household needs from food and soap to greenery and fashion, gas for cars and coal for the homes. Today, hockey goal buzzers still buzz, golfers still hit the greens, and the Gardens still flourish. As for other manufacturing communities which still exist, many do so as national parks or historic museums. But none have so successfully evolved, thrived, and yet retained the very foundation and economic base as Hershey has. All of this was envisioned at the inception of planning for a small manufacturing town; a unique town that promised a lot and provided even more. Hershey From the town's earliest days, Mr. Hershey created an infrastructure for the community that provided everything his citizens might need. In 1906, he established the Hershey Improvement Company (HIC) which provided electricity, telephone service, water, and a waste management—sewerage system. HIC also promoted the sale of real estate and assumed management of details typically taken care of by a municipal government. At this time, all the non-chocolate services still operated under the umbrella of the Chocolate Company. From the town's earliest days, Mr. Hershey created an infrastructure for the community that provided everything his citizens might need. In 1906, he established the Hershey Improvement Company (HIC) which provided electricity, telephone service, water, and a waste management—sewerage system. HIC also promoted the sale of real estate and assumed management of details typically taken care of by a municipal government. At this time, all the non-chocolate services still operated under the umbrella of the Chocolate Company. However, when Hershey stock was traded publicly on the NYSE in 1927, it became imperative to separate non-chocolate functions from the chocolate-making company. In that same year, Hershey Estates was created and assumed the responsibility of HIC and all non-chocolate businesses. Hershey Estates became part of the holdings for the benefit of the Milton Hershey's orphanage for boys. ​ During the years of its existence, from 1927 to 1976, Hershey Estates oversaw 33 separate companies. They covered everything from A to Z—Abattoir to Zoo, birth to death—Hershey Hospital to Hershey Cemetery. Municipal government was not necessary – the Estates embodied the authority and tools to provide administrative oversight, services, and utilities required to manage a small but robust manufacturing community. They provided street lighting, repaired sidewalks, and roads, and made zoning decisions; they offered retail, service, and lodging opportunities; they operated an amusement park and a hockey team. Times change, and Hershey Estates had to change with them. Small privately owned utilities were a thing of the past. The Park was far from self-sustaining, and other divisions operating at a loss were a constant and increasing drain of the company’s funds—among them upkeep of local roads. In 1976, the Estates divested itself of everything except the local entertainment and resort entities. Hersheypark had been enclosed and re-created as a theme park. Attention was now focused on the promotion of Hotel Hershey, Hershey Motor Lodge, the Park, concerts, and hockey in the Sports Arena. A new name was warranted, and the company rebranded as HERCO, Inc. in 1998, then renamed Hershey Entertainment and Resorts (HE&R), which remains a privately held company for the benefit of the Milton Hershey School. A Town Lives From A-Z

HISTORY OF THE HERSHEY HISTORY CENTER Our organizational history has deep roots, and over the course of 30 years, we have grown significantly, embracing change and welcoming greater opportunities to share our mission and collective history with more audiences. In 1991, the Derry Township Historical Society was established, at the request of municipal leaders and community members who had an interest in formally documenting and collecting our local heritage. Over the course of the next 30 years, we evolved from an all-volunteer operation with provisional locations offering limited storage and exhibition space, to a substantial community history center with permanent staff. ​ In 2003, the DTHS made a significant acquisition, purchasing our building, an adapted-reuse barn known as Pinehurst No. 35. In 2007, Derry Township Historical Society’s name was altered to include Hershey, better signifying its location and relevance to the community. Through the next decade, our facility underwent extensive renovations, our programs and offerings expanded, and a new, outdoor, multi-use event space was created. ​ All of this led to a more refined and dynamic organization for those who contributed through the years. Organizational growth prompted yet another change: a new brand name which represents the diversity and evolution of the Historical Society, while still providing insight into our shared heritage and community narrative. ​ Adopted in 2020, the brand Hershey History Center celebrates our achievements, focuses on our mission, and defines our relevance and sustainability. As we continue to increase access for research and demonstrate our role in preservation, our museum, educational programs, and events illustrate the value of our collections. With pride, we remain the legal entity of the Hershey-Derry Township Historical Society for the benefit of our community. ​ ​ History of the Pinehurst Barn Early references indicate that a dairy farm was established on this location in 1820, substantiated by landowner maps which notate J. Hershey as the property owner. John was Milton S. Hershey’s great uncle, and had two sons, Martin and Menno, who inherited this property. In 1861, the property was deeded solely to Martin by his brother Menno. Historical records also indicate that the barn burned and was completely rebuilt in 1916. At the time of Martin’s death, Milton S. Hershey purchased the farm property and rebuilt the farmhouse, intending to expand his dairy program for Hershey Industrial School (H.I.S.). In 1931, H.I.S. student home Pinehurst #35 was officially opened, one of 44 new farm homes to house the growing number of orphan boys enrolled in the School. All students in grades 6-12 were placed in farm homes, like Pinehurst, where they performed daily dairy chores. In the 1950s, H.I.S. graduates who were continuing their education at the Hershey Junior College lived in the home and performed dairy chores as part of their college scholarship arrangement. In 1965, the dairy was closed and students in other vocational programs were assigned to the home. As programs in the School adapted to contemporary needs and primary activities moved to the south side of the Hershey community, the decision was made to close the home as a student residence. 1980 was the last year students from Milton Hershey School (formerly the Hershey Industrial School) were housed at Pinehurst. ​

HIDDEN HISTORY Friday, August 16 | 6:00 pm On Zoom at the Hershey History Center Historian, author, and Hershey native, Professor Robert P. Watson Ph.D. will present Hidden History via Zoom at the Hershey History Center. Sorry, the link will not be available to view the event online at home. Robert will discuss the process of historiography, fun twists and turns in uncovering history, and what we think we know and what we don't know about the past. ​ To indicate how many in your party will attend, please RSVP to: info@hersheyhistory.org ​ Books will be on sale at the program. HHC members receive a 10% discount. Click here for more about Robert Watson's books. Please make a donation In order to support our ongoing mission of promoting our local history in light of the costs incurred for public programming, we are asking for a suggested donation of $10 for members, $15 for nonmembers. DONATE Please RSVP: to info@hersheyhistory. Kindly add "Hidden History" in the subject line and let us know how many will attend. Thank you. Bio Robert P. Watson is an award-winning author who has published over 45 books and 200 scholarly articles and essays on topics in political, military, and social history, as well as two multi-edition, multi-volume encyclopedia sets on the presidents and first ladies. Some of his recent books include Affairs of State, America’s First Crisis, The Presidents’ Wives, The Nazi Titanic, The Ghost Ship of Brooklyn, George Washington’s Final Battle, Escape, When Washington Burned, and American’s First Plague. He is currently working on the forthcoming books Rebels at the Gates and The Founding, both for 2025. Watson’s books have won numerous awards, are in international translation, and have been featured at literary festivals, on PBS and C-SPAN’s Book TV, and in three televised history documentaries. A frequent media commentator, Watson has been interviewed thousands of times by news outlets around the world, including CNN, MSNBC, USA Today, The New York Times, NPR, and the BBC, and has appeared on Hardball, The Daily Show, C-SPAN’s American History TV, The Washington Journal, etc. He was a longtime Sunday columnist for the Sun-Sentinel newspaper and, for many years, a political analyst for WPTV 5 (NBC), WPBT 2 (PBS), WIOD 610 AM, WFTL 850 AM, RTE 1 Ireland, and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. He has served as researcher and an on-screen expert for three dozen historical documentaries for Discovery, Science, National Geographic, History, Fuse, Super Channel, and other networks, including three seasons of an international award-winning series on Nazi secrets. Dr. Watson co-convened a half-dozen national history conferences, co-founded the annual Truman Legacy Symposium for the Truman Presidential Library, and served on the boards of numerous academic associations, community organizations, and the Harry S. Truman Foundation, Calvin Coolidge Foundation, and George McGovern Center for Leadership. He also served as founder and editor of the scholarly journal White House Studies, assistant editor and book review editor of The Social Science Journal, “Presidency Series” editor for the State University of New York Press, and has been a visiting scholar or lecturer with the nation’s preeminent historic sites, including the Truman Presidential Library, Ford Presidential Museum, Illinois Holocaust Museum, US Military Academy at West Point, National Archives, Smithsonian Institution, Pentagon, Museum of the American Revolution, American Revolution Institute, Gilder-Lehrman Institute of American History, National Museum of the US Navy, George Washington’s Mount Vernon, Society of the Cincinnati, James Madison’s Montpelier, Fraunces Tavern Museum, Gettysburg National Battlefield, National Civil War Museum, American Civil War Museum, Mount Rushmore, US Capitol Historical Society, White House Historical Association, Virginia Museum of History and Culture, Museum of Jewish Heritage in NYC, Andersonville National Historic Site, and others. ​ Watson co-chaired initiatives to develop the Calvin Coolidge Historic Site’s Presidential Library and Museum in Vermont, renovate the Truman Little White House, and secure both the 2012 presidential debate at Lynn University and the 2008 Democratic and Republican primary debates at Florida Atlantic University. He developed curriculum guides and programs for teachers and schools for the musicals Hamilton and Six, the play To Kill a Mockingbird, and the presidential debates. He is one of a small and select group of historians invited every few years by C-SPAN and other organizations to rank the presidents. As a community leader, Professor Watson has hosted many voter registration drives, civic education programs for schools, workshops for social studies teachers, and initiatives to support women- and minority-owned businesses and socially responsible business practices. He served as a judge for History Day contests, pronouncer for spelling bees, and moderator for political debates and community town halls throughout south Florida. He also co-founded three non-profits dedicated to civic engagement, political reform, and fact-checking political ads, has hosted for three decades a distinguished lecture series focusing on social justice and civility, whereby he has interviewed roughly 200 national leaders in politics, the law, diplomacy, the military, and the arts, and, with his then-teenage son, organized an annual writing contest for five years for students in Florida called “Let’s Write Together.” Watson has delivered over 2,500 lectures to libraries, museums, historic sites, community groups, and corporate conventions around the world, is a popular lecturer with One Day University, Curiosity Stream, the 92Y, and aboard luxury cruise ships, and has led “study tours” to historic sites around the U.S. and internationally. The recipient of many awards for his contributions to the study of the presidency, election commentary, community service, civics programs for schools, and efforts in the community to combat anti-Semitism, hate, and incivility, Professor Watson has been named “Professor of the Year” four times and has won all three campus-wide faculty awards—service, research, and teaching—several times at both Florida Atlantic University and Lynn University. Robert was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, attended public schools in Hershey, and was educated at Virginia Tech, where he lettered on the football and track teams. Winning 10 state championships in three different sports, he was inducted into two sports halls of fame. Watson taught previously at Troy, Northern Arizona, the University of Hawaii, Florida State’s London campus, Florida International University, Florida Atlantic University, and with the Junior Statesman Foundation at Yale, Stanford, and Georgetown, and now holds the titles Distinguished Professor of American History, Avron Fogelman Research Professor, and Assistant Director of the Center for Citizenship and Civility at Lynn University. He is the proud father of Alexander and Isabella.

EXHIBITS & COLLECTIONS DEDICATED TO PRESERVING HERSHEY'S HISTORY EXHIBITS & COLLECTIONS The Hershey Derry Township Historical Society is home to over 50,000 artifacts and photos. Browse through our museum and learn about the early settlers of Derry Township and the community of Hershey. ​ New Exhibits A Town Called Hershey From House Call to Phone Call Permanent exhibits Before There Was Chocolate...There Was Stone Derry Before Hershey Reading, 'Riting, 'Rithmetic How the Work Was Done Major Winters Den: The Legacy of Major Dick Winters From B'ars to Bears: A History of the Hershey Bears Teeing Off - History of Golf in Hershey A Town Called Hershey (History of the Hershey Tran sit Company is part of the exhibit.) Then & Now A Munificent Gift From House Call to Phone Call The Presence of the Law Odyssey to America, Revisited - Celebrating Hershey's Italian American Heritage (Rotating exhibit) ​ Temporary exhibit Return of the "Chocolate Town Special" ​ Explore our museum exhibits, enjoy our rich history, and learn about the people who shaped this area. As a community History Center your experience and access to our history is part of our mission. Come visit us and explore our collection . FROM B'ARS TO BEARS Permanent Exhibit This exhibit presents a thorough history of the American Hockey League's most storied and successful franchise, featuring items from the Hershey History Center permanent collection and items on loan from former Bears as well as other pieces culminating over 80 years of Hershey Bears history. BEYOND BAND OF BROTHERS Permanent Exhibit In 2012, the estate and family of Major Dick Winters donated the personal belongings to recreate Winter's personal office. Explore through Winter's artifacts, books, military memorabilia as it was during his leadership in World War II. BEFORE THERE WAS CHOCOLATE Permanent Exhibit Before There was Chocolate illustrates the early quarry industry that supplied brownstone to the entire east coast and as far west as St. Louis, and the local community of Waltonville that evolved to support the industry. OTHER COLLECTIONS PHOTO ARCHIVES ​ Past Perfect Online Ar chive Visit and explore our online database Past Perfect. A digital archive of thousands of photographs in our collection To meet with our photo archivist to research our photo collection at the History Center, email us at info@hersheyhistory.org to make an appointment request. VIEW ARCHIVE RESEARCH LIBRARY & ARCHIVES Our research library and archives are available for members to research our records for genealogical and regional historical research. ​ Send an email to request an appointment to meet with a staff member at info@hersheyhistory.org ​ ​ ​ MAKE AN APPOINTMENT ROTATING EXHIBITS ​ Our temporary exhibit space reveals a more detailed view into a featured theme from our collections and community. ​ Visit us to learn more about the stories and the people that make our community unique. VISIT US LEARN MORE MANAGING COLLECTIONS View the History Center’s artifact collections storage and see how we care for and implement preservation for our collections. READ MORE We're very proud of our extensive collections that have been entrusted to us. Our diverse collections tell the fascinating story of Derry Township. ​ - Susan Mittan, Volunteer Anchor 1